Free Spirit
by Aqua4444
Summary: She had the right to be annoyed with him the first time she saw him, but the last time she looked at him, something was different and when he stayed behind, she thought she might explode. (companion fic to "Change of Heart", can be read separately).
1. Annoyed

**Hello! **

**This is a companion fic to another story of mine, "Change of Heart". It's not necessary to have read that one before, though it could be a bit enlightening to have done so. This story will have three chapters and will cover some of the events in "Change of Heart", though in Tauriel's p.o.v while introducing a new event as well! **

***the cover picture to this fanfiction is taken by a friend of mine* **

**I do not own any characters (except a few OCs that pops up once in a while) or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 <strong>

"What were you looking for?"

The King sounded mildly interested, but was betrayed by the gleam within his bright blue eyes. Tauriel recognized it to be similar to that of a snake cleverly slithering through the high grass and watching its prey. Though Tauriel had to admit that the King seemed kinder than a poisonous snake.

"Something good", she replied to his previous question.

That was true. The forest had started to behave odd, something dark and strange attacked the trees and weakened their spirits, making them twisted. She had lived long enough in the forest to notice things like that. It was one of the reasons why she had climbed the tree, apart from the freedom it gave her, the sense of seeing the whole world beneath the green leafy sky of the forest.

Nobody said anything after her declaration. The Guards behind her stood silent and she would not have been aware of their presence had she not required keener senses after living on her own in the wild, untamable forest. The King was looking thoughtful, sitting high above them all on his throne of antlers from what Tauriel believed to be an elk. He was an impressive sight; blond hair falling flawlessly over his shoulders, eyes as sharp as glass and upon his head a crown of twigs and beautiful leftovers from what the forest could offer. Dressed in silver, he was very elegant, and Tauriel was suddenly aware how she looked. She could not remember the last time she had taken a bath and she could feel every speck of dirt on her skin very clearly.

Then there was the Prince.

Tauriel suspected he was the Prince, because he bore a striking resemblance to the King; same posture, same fair hair and striking eyes. He was looking at her as was the rest of the hall, but in his eyes, she could see pity reflect. It was quite unlike the look in his father's eyes and Tauriel did not like that he was looking at her like she was defenseless. She frowned. His expression was softer than the King's, but Tauriel found that she almost preferred the King's cold, calculating interest. She could deal better with that, could meet ice with fire.

When the King rose to his feet, and Tauriel flinched at the sudden movement, he came to stand before her and she had not realized before how tall he was until now. Tauriel repressed a hitched breath from escaping and bit her lip. The older elf emitted a strong power that she had not come across before.

"What is your name?" the King asked.

"Tauriel." She realized that she should probably say something else. "My Lord."

"Your parents?" the King continued as if she had not spoken.

The question made her grimace and her heart jumped over a beat. Her thoughts rarely strayed to those who had sired her. They were hazy memories. She thought she could remember her mother brushing her hair and her father hoisting her up on his shoulders so she thought she was invincible. But what followed was darkness, pitch black and nasty. The King was waiting for an answer, all of them were. Their gazes cut into the back of her head. She braced herself and answered:

"Tauriel."

The King smiled at that and he immediately looked kinder.

"Ah, Tauriel", he said. "Daughter of the Forest."

Tauriel quirked her lips, pleased that he had understood. She had lived in the forest for as long as she could remember, being a part of it, that she could not think of anything better than to let it claim her parentage. Deep down, she was aware of that should one look into old books with fancy writing, one would find that it was the true meaning of her name. She supposed that her true parents – those of flesh and blood – had known her better than she would ever come to know herself.

The King – who had regarded her with understanding eyes – addressed his Captain in a different voice than he had done her:

"Captain, if you could be so kind to take Tauriel to Lady Merenwen for new clothes and a bath. We cannot have a ward of the Realm looking like a barbaric little beast."

He ran a finger across her cheek, an almost tender gesture, but his skin was cold and his words had been haughty. Tauriel still felt her blood boil in a moment of anger and she was glad for the dirt covering her face, otherwise the whole hall would have seen her cheeks coloring.

The dark-haired Captain was next to her before she could tell the King that not all of them were provided with the same luxuries as he. He put a hand on her shoulder, a warning.

"Yes, my Lord."

"Good." The King drew back as if they were nothing important and waved a hand in a gesture to leave. "You are all dismissed."

Tauriel did not bow as the rest of the gathered elves did, except the Prince. She had never bowed to anyone before and she was not about to begin now. She repressed a sigh, thinking that it had been wishful thinking that she would have been set free and to return to her home out in the forest.

The Captain led the way out from the throne room down a narrow stair. Tauriel could feel someone's eyes staring at the back of her head as she walked away and she didn't believe that it was the King's.

The castle was impressive. Tauriel could not deny it. The corridors were vast, the halls even more enormous and the pillars were beautifully carved with designs and patterns that left the young elf's fingers itching with the want of tracing them. Torches were lining the walls, providing warmth and a dim, golden light. Even though it was impressive, Tauriel was aware that with every step she took, every stair she climbed and every turn she turned, she was leaving what had been her home and sanctuary for so many years, behind.

"Why did you have to bring me here?" Tauriel asked the tall elf, looking accusingly at him. "I was fine where I was."

He regarded her with serious eyes in a face that was otherwise clear of emotions.

"It is my job as Captain of the Guard", he explained patiently, his voice warm and leveled like his steps. "My task is to guard the borders of the Realm and to report any oddities I might come across to King Thranduil."

"Is that what I am?" scoffed Tauriel, feeling offended. "An oddity?"

"You are an extraordinary little elleth", the Captain said instead and she thought that she could glimpse a fondness in his eyes. "But living like you did would not have favored you in the end. I did my duty, bringing you to the King, and I will not regret it."

Tauriel huffed in annoyance and blew a couple of strands of her hair out of her face. The Captain didn't speak, but Tauriel caught him looking at her, seeming to be torn between amusement and mild horror of her lack of manners. It made Tauriel wonder if he had any children of his own.

They walked on in silence. Nobody came their way and Tauriel wondered if it was because of the gloominess that seemed to haunt the corridors of the old castle.

A sound of footsteps could be heard by her elven ears, but she did not turn to see who it was. Neither did the Captain. The steps were determined, confident, though slightly rushed. Tauriel could not help but be surprised as it was the Prince that suddenly was by their side. She stopped and looked up at him, tried to read in his face what he wanted. He paid her no attention, but kept his eyes fixed on the Captain. It was then when Tauriel discovered that the Prince's eyes were very blue.

"Captain, I'll escort her now. You can return to your duties."

It was the first time she had heard his voice. It was smooth, just like the King's but lacked that authority that could send grown men running which the King possessed just as easy like breathing.

Tauriel turned her eyes to the Captain instead, wanting to see his reaction. While the King had managed to get his Guards to listen without a moment of hesitation, his son could not achieve the same effect. The Captain almost seemed amused and the Prince's eyes flashed as he straightened up. Tauriel understood the feeling. It was awful to be treated like a child, like someone who knew less than everybody else. The Captain eventually bowed gracefully.

"As you say, my Lord."

He gave the two of them a look, but Tauriel did not doubt that she would see the grim Captain again. He moved silently down the corridor and Tauriel found herself to be left with the Prince. She frowned and looked him over with a critical eye. She did not know what to make of him. He glanced at her and then started to walk away, keeping his pace like he was strolling around without a care in the world. When he walked, it was easy to see resemblance between father and son.

Tauriel did not find it helpful that he walked slowly as if he was afraid her much shorter legs could not handle walking normally. Despite that it might appear rude and improper, she quickened her steps and thus walked ahead of the Prince, leaving him a few steps behind. She threw him a grin, but he did not seem to mind.

Long they walked down the winding corridors and after that up a couple of stairs that twisted themselves like the branches of a wild tree. Other elves were out in the corridors as well, minding their own business. Tauriel had never seen so many elves in such a short time. They were all taller than her, older and dressed in colorful robes of silk. Their hair shone and everything about them was more regal than Tauriel could ever hope to achieve. They greeted the Prince with respect and polite gestures, though when their eyes swept over her, Tauriel was met with mixed reactions. It could be curiosity or they would simply share questioning glances in a way that Tauriel could not make out the true meaning of. A couple of them sneered and scrunched their noses.

Tauriel felt small and uncertain. In the forest, there had not been anyone to judge her in the way the elves of the court now were doing. She hunched her shoulders and clenched her hands. She tried to keep her head held high, because she knew that she was not worth any less than them. She noticed that the Prince was not finding the others behavior acceptable and she did not know if she should feel touched or annoyed that he did not think that she could handle it.

When the last party of elves disappeared around a corner, Tauriel felt her spirit rise somewhat. Whatever she might feel for the Prince, at least he was not treating her poorly. Growing a bit tired of the silence, she decided to speak.

"Who is Merenwen?" she asked, for she had not heard the name before.

She wondered if it was perhaps the name of the Queen, but that thought disappeared after the Prince told her that she was being taken to the Court Healer. Tauriel did not like that he used the phrase: "She will look after you." She had lived on her own for a long time and she had managed perfectly well. It irked her to be treated like a child, even though she was very young. She had seen more than the elves stuck inside the castle had did. Yet she could not help but say, with some sort of hope fitting for a child:

"If she's a healer, then maybe she could heal the forest."

A wrinkle appeared between the Prince's dark brows and he looked at her with a bit of puzzlement.

"What do you mean?"

"It's starting to become ill", Tauriel told him seriously, not sure where this sudden need of a confidant came. "Something dark is growing further down south."

She had lowered her voice to a whisper. That unnamed shadow did strike a chord of fear in her heart. The trees worried and the animals feared it. She had not dared venture further south than the mountains after receiving news of this shadow.

"How do you know this?" wondered the Prince and he sounded guarded, though his eyes widened in shock. "Why do you tell me and not my father?"

Tauriel showed self-restrain when she did not sigh. Coldly, she said:

"He already knows, but I don't think he will do much about it."

She had seen it in the King's eyes and she had heard rumors over the years. The King was proud and vain, though not unkind but he rarely left the kingdom and would rather no one else would. She pitied him for his narrow-minded sight of the world and its beings. Hopefully, his son would prove to be different.

Tauriel waited for the Prince to speak and when he spoke, it was in a cheerful voice that annoyed her because she could hear the strain in it:

"Well, you do not need to worry. I will protect you against the dark. I promise."

Tauriel frowned and glared at him. She could feel her temper rise. She was not used to be treated like a child. In the forest, she had been on her own and had had a freedom she doubted she would ever gain again. It irked her, that superior tone and glances she had been treated with since she had arrived to the castle.

"I don't need protection", she scowled. "I can take care of myself."

The Prince's eyes expressed nothing she could figure out easily, except that there was concern in the depths of his blue eyes and fondness, though it was different from the fondness reflecting in the King's eyes when he had looked at her. It made her uncomfortable, because she could not recall ever being looked upon with fondness before. Yet she would not let it show. She pulled herself to her most impressive height and met the Prince's eyes with her head held high. He rewarded her with a small smile and she thought it was as if looking at a new person. He should smile more often.

"Perhaps", was his answer to her previous words as he knocked on the door.

Tauriel nearly jumped at the sound. So caught up in her thoughts she had not noticed that they had arrived at their destination. The corridor was vast with many beautiful doors, just like the one they were standing in front of. The Prince knocked again, his knuckles brushing against the fine wood and this time, someone opened. On the other side stood a tall woman dressed in green and grey with her long, black hair flowing down her back. Her face was fair, but stern. She regarded Tauriel with a frown, though when she laid eyes on the Prince, she smiled and her grey eyes shone in delight.

"Legolas", she said and her voice was not as light as her appearance might have suggested. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The Prince smiled and Tauriel stared, feeling a spark of hope flare at the sight.

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><p><strong>So, that was the first chapter. What did you think? Constructive criticism is welcomed if needed and written in a helpful way!<br>**

**Next chapter should hopefully be out next week, though I can't guarantee it. **

**Thanks for reading & "Merry Christmas" (or whatever holiday you might celebrate) to you all! :D **


	2. Different

**Chapter 2, everyone! **

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! I really appreciate all your reviews; they're lovely and interesting to read and I'm glad you all like the story so far! **

**simo99: Thanks for reviewing! Since this story will be rather short, the Captain will not have the biggest of roles, but he is - as will be hinted and more explained in the last installment of this series - a rather important figure in Tauriel's upbringing. **

**guest: Thanks for reviewing! I will not write Legolas's p.o.v in this story at all, since it's Tauriel-focused, but I thank you for your suggestion. Hopefully, you'll find this chapter good enough even though it's not your idea :) **

**ClaraS: Thanks for reviewing! Yes, three chapters only. The new event will not be the following of "Change of Heart", but it will be featured in the last installment of this mini-series, which I will publish when this story is done. The new event takes place in this chapter and will hopefully be to your liking! **

**I do not own any characters or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 <strong>

"Are you not going to do anything?"

Tauriel's voice was filled with disbelief and it reflected in her eyes together with disappointment. The King ignored her and she despised being ignored, especially when it was something important she needed to say.

The dragon had come down from the North earlier that day. The wind from its wings had bent the strong trees of Greenwood, but otherwise the dragon had left the elves' home untouched. It had its eyes set on another price.

Tauriel had accompanied King Thranduil to Erebor enough times to know that the King under the Mountain was acting a bit peculiar, obsessed with his gold and treasure. 'A sickness', people whispered, but Tauriel was more concerned about the dragon that had come and burned the city of the Men and the Mountain. The air in the forest had grown thick with ash and smoke. Had she been in charge, she would have ridden out immediately to their aid, but the King had not made any inclination that it was on his mind.

"Are you just going to remain here?" she asked with more passion to her voice than before.

The King was standing lazily and looked out through one of the tall windows. In his hand was a goblet of wine that had not left his hand since they had returned to the castle from the watchtower. Somehow, there always seemed to be liquor in the goblet even though the King's butler was nowhere to be seen at the moment. The King sipped his wine, but didn't look at her.

"The dragon is of no concern to us", he replied, sounding almost bored. "The dwarves brought this upon themselves. I warned Thrór of what would happen if he continued piling his gold and gems down those caverns of his. He did not listen. What is done is done."

Tauriel could hardly believe the words he spoke. Or the truth was, she could. She had always known that the King was stern and cold, but she had hoped that his better qualities would shine through.

"You cannot leave them to die!" Tauriel protested and her face showed alarm at the mere thought. "You cannot."

The King glanced at her dismissively. He took a sip of his wine.

"It is not my problem. I warned them, but they did not listen. Ignorance comes with a heavy price."

"How can you say that?" Tauriel wanted to know. "You sound so cold."

"Tauriel, the world is cruel. Save your pity for those who deserve it."

Tauriel was speechless. The way he spoke was cold and emotionless, much like he did not care for anything. She had met many elves of Greenwood, but King Thranduil was the one that she could not figure out. He had too many angles, too many shifting moods that made him hard to read. As a little elfling, she had respected him but as a woman grown, that respect had now been mingled with doubt and disagreement.

"You think they do not deserve my concern, my fear and my pity?" she wondered and her voice was dark, shaking ever so slightly with anger, an anger bubbling and burning as fierce and deadly as the dragon's fire. "You think they should die? Do you think that they should be left alone, watching their home and their families turn to ash? Should they be left to fend for themselves against the hardships of this world? Do you honestly believe that they deserve nothing?"

The King did not answer, but Tauriel was not done talking. She could not recall ever having felt this upset. Living in the castle had turned out to be much different from the forest. It was not as free and as meaningful. She had seen injustices in the forest, but nothing that was a cruel as the King's current behavior. He represented the life in the castle; the cultured games and power, the wildness that differed from that of the animals and trees of the forest. Tauriel had realized perhaps too late that a life shut inside the castle was not a life for her to live. Thinking back, she should have run away when they first had brought her there. She had tried, but Legolas had brought her back. He had been the only thing, the only person, she had not regretted and she had stayed for his sake and learnt the ways of court. She missed him fiercely, because he would have made his father see sense and he was the calm presence she needed, the company she would be glad to have.

"Shall we watch them fight for their lives? Shall we return to the watchtower, drinks in our hands and watch the smoke rise in the horizon and see the flames blazing?" She was pacing now, gesturing wildly with her hands, frustrated. "Will you deny them help and feast on their sorrow? What cruelty has befallen you to make you indifferent about…."

The King turned around to face her and she could glimpse something wild about his whole being, glimpsing what he was always so carefully trying to hide. It was a dangerous sight and the rest of her sentence died out before she could voice it.

"You should be very careful now, little one", the King hissed. "You know nothing, _nothing_!"

Tauriel's eyes darkened and she took a step closer to the King, a fierce expression upon her face.

"I believe I do", she said hotly. "I have seen more of your kingdom than you have and I've traveled with you through Dale and through Erebor. They are people just like us. You cannot leave them to die!"

The King's face was pale and contorted in a furious expression that looked frightening. His eyes flashed dangerously and the skin of his right side of his face seemed to crawl, shook. It looked like the cold façade he usually wore was about to fall apart.

"I will not risk the lives of my people for the sake of a greedy Mountain King", he all but spat out at her and his voice was composed, though anger leaked through it.

Tauriel narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. She lowered her voice, but did not leave the King with her eyes.

"Coward", she said and her voice was poison, disappointed and angry.

The King's eyes widened in surprise, otherwise he remained stoic. Tauriel did not budge, glaring at him with green eyes that were burning. Then, a muscle in the King's pale cheek twitched and his blue eyes turned nearly black with rage. With a couple of elegant strides he had moved past her. He opened the beautiful carved doors and called in a voice in control of emotions:

"Captain, escort Tauriel to the dungeons. I want her out of my sight this instant!"

Tauriel gaped at him, her face shocked. The King did not look at her when he returned to his position at the windows, taking a long gulp of wine in the process as if to calm his nerves. Before she could comprehend what was happening, the Captain was there, one hand on her shoulder, urging her outside the room. Tauriel snapped out of the moment of shock. She shrugged off the Captain's hand at was at the King's side within seconds. He refused to look at her and his eyes rested upon the green scenery of the forest. The wine had made his lips red like blood.

"How can you live with yourself?" she asked him in whisper, because her voice was shaking.

The King pretended not to notice her, but his shoulders tensed. Tauriel felt a cruel sort of satisfaction at the sight, knowing that she had gotten to him. She was not able to do anything else, for the Captain had now grabbed her firmly around the arm and was almost dragging her out of the room. Had she looked, Tauriel would have noticed that he looked disappointed at her acting, but she only had eyes for the King and he in turned treated her as if she was nothing.

Outside in the corridor were more guards waiting and their faces showed various expressions, but none of them shrunk away from their task. They closed in around her as if she was some dirty criminal. Tauriel couldn't understand how they could manage. Was she the only one that saw how wrong it was to leave the Men of Dale and the dwarves of Erebor at the mercy of a greedy, fire-breathing dragon?

They had managed to turn around the corridor when they came upon the Prince. Legolas stood frozen, blinking as if he was not quite sure of what he was seeing. Tauriel could not fault him for that. Then he snapped to his senses and was at her side within seconds. Through her anger and despair, she felt a warm feeling when he stood by her side so loyally.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded to know and he sounded frightfully like his father at that moment. He turned his gaze towards the Captain. "Captain, release her at once!"

"I am afraid that I cannot do that", said the Captain after a brief moment of hesitation. "The King's orders, my Lord."

Legolas stood completely still, mouthing "The King's orders" as if he could not believe it. He looked at her and there was a promise in his eyes before he stormed off into the King's chambers. The door shut with an alarming 'thud'. The Captain gently tugged at her arm.

"Come along."

Despite the rage she felt, she let herself be led away, surrounded by plenty of guards that could have been used to help aid the dwarves and Men instead. She looked at the Captain with a hurt look. He had taught her, cared for her and raised her, yet he was leading her further underground.

"Why?" she asked bitterly.

His face was stoic, but his eyes shone with emotions Tauriel could not read.

"I told you once that I was following the orders from the King", said the Captain curtly, avoiding her burning gaze. "That is what I am doing now."

. . . .

Tauriel did not know how much time that had passed when Legolas showed up. He looked at her with sad, blue eyes and sat down at the stairs outside her cell. He was dressed for hunting, she noticed, but she stubbornly refused to acknowledge him with words.

"The King left with the army", said Legolas and Tauriel noticed how he did not say 'my father'. She wondered if it was on purpose, for her sake. "He left me in charge."

"And what will you do?" she asked, her voice calm.

Legolas sighed and ran a hand over his face and Tauriel realized how tired he looked.

"I would have let you out, but the King took the keys himself. I suppose he wants you to learn a lesson."

"It is he who should be taught a lesson", Tauriel replied and paced around the small area of the cell. "A lesson in kindness and love."

"He is doing his best", said Legolas in a mild tone and his eyes held a warning. "He always does."

Tauriel turned around so quickly that she almost got a whiplash in her neck. She frowned, not liking how he did not openly say his father was wrong. She gazed intensely at him, her eyes flickering across his face. There was no sign of a smile on his lips, nor any brightness in his eyes. Everything she had come to associate with her friend – everything that had separated him from the King – was gone and replaced by something else, a sharpness to his features. Tauriel let out a soft gasp, standing close to the bars and looked at Legolas.

"You agree with him", she said softly and felt her whole being sinking into a deep ocean of disappointment. She took a couple of steps back from the door. "You think we should do nothing."

"I think we should not act rashly", Legolas replied, giving her a pointedly look, but did not deny her words.

Tauriel shook her head, retreating further into her cell. Something was different now and she did not like it.

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><p><strong>So, that was that! Any thoughts? <strong>

**Next chapter will be up in 2015! I've also planned to write a third, short story following "Change of Heart" & "Free Spirit". It will be up after this story's done. **

**Thanks for reading & Happy New Year! :)**


	3. Explode

**Chapter 3, the last chapter, everyone! **

**Happy New Year to you all! :)  
><strong>

***Thank you-notes at the bottom* **

**I do not own any characters or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

"You will be leaving."

It was not a question. Tauriel sighed at the cold tone Legolas used, that cold tone he had started to use more and more recently. Six hundred years ago when they first met, it would have been impossible for him to use that voice, but things had changed since then. She nodded before answering.

"Yes. Yes, I will." Her voice was soft and echoed of memories. "I made a promise to return it should I live and he not."

The dwarven stone felt heavy in her hand, but its smooth surface was cold. It was almost as if it could feel that she was not its owner. Kíli had given it to her, a sign of friendship, of affection and trust. She held it tighter, closing her eyes briefly. An image of the dark-haired dwarf prince sprung into her mind; mischievous, twinkling eyes and a warm smile that had made something stir in the pit of her stomach. She could not recall the last time someone had smiled at her like that.

"I made a promise to you as well", said Legolas and his hands were clenched to fists. "I promised that I would protect you." He looked angry, though not without some sadness. "And now you'll be leaving…."

His voice died out. Tauriel looked at him and he seemed at loss at what to do. Her friend – who had always carried himself with confidence and in later years a mask as cold as his father's – now appeared to be lost. His blue eyes were ice, but ice with cracks. She did not want them to depart in anger, to have bitterness and resentment between them. He wanted her to stay, Tauriel could see that, but her heart could not bear to stay. The battle had left her scarred and she needed time to heal. She did not believe staying would help her.

At Legolas's reproachful tone and hurt eyes, she felt her inside clench and she wanted to make things right, wanted him to understand why she had to do this. Tauriel reached out to him. For a moment she thought he might recoil from her touch and she breathed an involuntarily sigh of relief when he didn't. His skin was bruised and she gently moved her fingers over it, a featherlike touch. Legolas closed his eyes and through her grief, her anger at the world, she felt relief that she could bring him this small comfort in this terrible world. She doubted she would ever forget the cold landscape surrounding them with bodies scattered all around, the ground stained with red and black.

"You have protected me, my friend", she whispered and she felt her eyes sting. "More times than I dare count." She paused and drew back her hand. "I need to do this and I need to do it alone."

"What can I do to make you stay, to see sense?" mumbled Legolas and opened his eyes, fixing her with those blue orbs of his that were so different from Kíli's brown ones.

Tauriel let out a shaky breath, her hand unconsciously tightening around the stone. She noticed Legolas's gaze flicker towards her hand. Deep in his eyes, though he tried to hide it, was the look of betrayal.

"Oh, Legolas", she sighed as she had done many times when she couldn't make him see what she wanted to say. "Now is perhaps the only time that I have seen sense. I have to go and fulfill my promise. I owe him that."

Legolas grimaced and though Tauriel ached for her friend, she knew she had spoken the truth. Kíli had been her friend, her responsibility, her – she did not dare to think the word – _love_. Her heart felt heavy when she thought of him. It was the first big loss she had ever felt and it left her feeling empty and lost, a stranger to all the new emotions that had torn at her heart, leaving it bleeding. What would happen in the future, she did not know, but at the moment, she had a path to follow and that path led away from everything she had known. She would follow that path, because it was the right thing to do and she had promised. Her soul ached to do it.

"And me?" spat Legolas and anger leaked through his voice. "Do you not owe me as well as my father? You have a responsibility to the Realm."

The King's face flashed before her inner mind; bloodstained and with eyes blazing like blue fire. It was a face that had always awoken many conflicting emotions within her, but now she felt nothing except a cold feeling in her chest and under that cold something hot and angry simmering. She owed the King nothing.

"Your father released me from my duty when he cut my bow in half", said Tauriel fiercely, horribly aware of that her lower lip trembled. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Her voice was collected when she continued: "And now, I will release you from your promise. You cannot protect me anymore."

He had not needed to protect her from the beginning. In fact, she had not wanted him to. As she grew up, Legolas rarely left her side and Tauriel came to appreciate him in a way she had never believed she would another elf. The King might have taken her in, the Captain might have raised her, but it was Legolas that had always been there for her and asking for nothing in return. And now when he was – even though he never said the words, his eyes were screaming them – she could not grant him what he wanted. She had no place amongst the elves any longer, the King had made sure of that, but she did not regret her actions and she would bear the mark of an exile with pride and fire in her eyes. It was a lovely thought, a lovely dream which she hoped would come true one day, for now she felt weak and drained of strength. She feared a part of her had died with Kíli, though she could not be sure for love was a feeling she had never felt before.

Legolas was still looking at her with eyes telling her not to do anything foolish, not to give up and not to leave. She imagined one of the many emotions swirling in his eyes to be love, but she could not guess which and she could easily be mistaken. Tauriel remembered the King's words, warning her – because he always was, never truly trusting, not since the day when the dragon had come – of not giving Legolas hope of any love when it could not be. The King had surprised her with his warning, because Tauriel had never thought, never been aware of that Legolas loved her. He had always been there, teaching her and protecting her from things she had not even known she might have needed protection from, but did he love her? Tauriel dared not think of it, for then hurting him would get a whole new meaning and it twisted Tauriel's already beaten heart. She could not help but wonder when his supposed change of heart had happened.

Legolas was oblivious to her thoughts. He stepped closer to her, worried.

"If you go now, you will never be able to return." His whole being was serious. "The gates will be shut for you forever."

Tauriel nearly smiled. Had those gates not bothered her, kept her locked away from the rest of the world and its freedom? She met Legolas's gaze with a cold and hard expression.

"I rather am shut out than stuck inside", she said truthfully and even to her own ears, her voice sounded cold.

Legolas pursed his lips and retreated, bowed his head and kept his eyes fixed on the ash-like ground. Tauriel seized the opportunity and let her pain and vulnerability show. She wondered how she could hurt him, her friend that had always seemed so collected and calm, though not at all times as cold as his father. Deep down, she was aware of the Prince's affection for her, but she could not act on it. She had a promise to fulfill, a promise to another friend that may or may not have held her heart.

When Legolas drew a deep breath, Tauriel tried to arrange her features into an expression of less pain and loss. Her heart felt like it was stuck in her throat when Legolas raised his head to look at her. His blue eyes were bright, though at the same time clouded with so many emotions that they were nearly silver instead. His bruised face, with streaks of blood that was not his, crumbled and was left open and raw. It was not the collected mask of eternal beauty that every elf possessed, but something much more human; love, friendship, respect, hurt, pain, doubt, betrayal….

"Don't go, Tauriel. Please."

Legolas voice was nothing more than a whisper. Ruefully it was carried away by the wind to never be spoken again and Tauriel swallowed the lump in her throat. He had asked – begged – her not to go now and it could not be taken back.

She was at loss at what to do. She wanted so badly for Legolas to understand why she needed to go. It was about honor, about keeping her word and fulfilling a promise that had been forged by fire, pain and two free spirits in the world that was becoming darker. Something she knew Legolas would have hard to understand, for while the Prince could be called many things and had qualities that was both great and grand, he did not possess the same fire Tauriel did.

The words she had wanted to say never passed her lips and she did not know if it was a blessing or a curse. Legolas frowned; his face hardening as did his eyes and Tauriel knew that whatever would come now would hurt.

"Fine", Legolas sighed in defeat. "Go. Fulfill your promise to the dwarf and then I hope your soul will have peace."

Despite having no right to feel it, not after what she was putting him through, she felt such an emotional pain that was so different from when she had received the news that Kíli was dead. A part of her was tempting to ask Legolas to come with her, but that was a traitorous part, the part that was scared of finally leaving the forest and its shadows, leaving the memories of the battle behind. Keeping her emotions in check, she sank down on one knee. It was a show of respect and she hoped it would speak for those words she could not get out.

"My friend, my Prince, my protector", she said, bowing her head. "Mayhap we will meet again."

She looked up, her lips forming into a smile she could feel drip of sadness. A flame of hope dared to burn in her torn and wounded heart of that the words she had spoken was true, that they would meet again. Legolas glanced at her and looked out over the slopes of the Mountain where the battle had taken place a few hours before.

"I won't wait for you", he told her and she noticed that his voice trembled through the harshness. "I can't…."

"I know", she interrupted him, keeping her voice soft.

She had thought, even hoped, that he would give her a different answer, but it was selfish of her to think so. After years spent with Legolas, she knew that he was foremost the Prince and he took his duties seriously and would do what he needed to protect his people. Following her to Esgaroth might have seemed reckless, thoughtless, but it had turned out to be for the best. The armies had been warned of the second army of orcs and lives had been saved, though too many had been lost already.

There was perhaps nothing more to say between them, though Tauriel did not want to leave yet, not with so much unresolved tension between them. Legolas would not try to fix it; she sensed that he was preparing himself for her departure. His fair face had turned cold again, his chin defensive and his eyes to steel. She would not toss away their friendship for this. Legolas deserved better.

Tauriel rose from the ground and approached him, determined to get at least something similar to a goodbye.

Stubbornly, Legolas refused to look at her and Tauriel felt a brief moment of exasperation. Both the Prince and the King was far too stubborn and proud for their own good. Legolas hands were clenched to fists and she could make out his shoulders tensing as she stood closer to him than was perhaps proper for the former Captain of the Guard and the Prince. With a sorrowful expression, Tauriel raised her hand – the other was still holding onto the black dwarven stone – and carefully gripped Legolas's chin so that he had to look at her. He let her do it and the look in his eyes made a lump form in Tauriel's throat. Her hand fell to her side as if the connection with his skin had burned her when it was in fact cold by the winds of winter.

Tauriel wished to leave him with some hope, because the look in his eyes had her despairing. Though she was unsure of what would lie ahead of her when she would journey to honor her promise to Kíli, she felt that she could give Legolas a promise as well.

She unclasped the necklace given to her by the King years ago when she had been appointed the position of Captain. A fleeting look of horror appeared on Legolas face at her action, but it disappeared quickly and Tauriel did not let herself be bothered by it. The necklace was a delicate thing, a thin chain of silver accompanied by a white stone that shone like a star surrounded by silver. Compared to the stone given to her by Kíli, Tauriel thought it reflected the difference between the two races and it made her sad.

In Legolas hand, the necklace looked to belong and Tauriel felt hope through the sorrow of the battle.

"This is my promise to you", she vowed and she was determined that she would fulfill that as well. "You and I will meet again."

At her words, Legolas closed his hand around the necklace and Tauriel smiled. Melancholia grabbed her in its grasp and her eyes suddenly burned. With nothing else to say, she turned away from Legolas. His image would be burning in her dreams many nights to come.

Tauriel did not look back once she had left him standing at the small, stony hill with the view over the battlefield and the ruins of Dale. Instead, she clutched the rune stone in her hand and drew one of her long knives. The blade was still covered in black blood. She would not let anybody stop her now.

The sun was sinking away in the horizon, covering the lands around Erebor in a red and golden light remarkable like fire. It was the last she would see of it all, but she did not regret leaving it behind. She thought she could feel someone watching her as she made her way across the barren lands, back towards her former home. A sound between a sob and moan escaped her lips. Clutching Kíli's stone tighter; she fought down the emotions that threatened to spill over. It felt like she might explode as she realized that leaving Legolas, her dearest friend, behind would be the only thing she would regret.

* * *

><p><strong>So, that was the last chapter! What did you think? I found it more difficult to write than Legolas's p.o.v in "Change of Heart", but I hope I managed to portray Tauriel's emotions somewhat well and believable (since I'm not going completely movie-verse with this, her feelings for Kíli is not the 'pure love' we get to see in the movie, but something a bit more... confusing? I don't know if that's a good enough word...). Feel free to leave a review on your thoughts of this chapter or the story in general!<br>**

**The third part in this mini-series will be up pretty soon (I think) and it's called "A Promise", which will work as the "end" for both "Change of Heart" and "Free Spirit". So if you want to read more of my work, you should keep an eye out for it! **

**I would like to thank all of you that have given this story a chance by reading, those of you that have decided to follow it and those of you who have deemed it good enough to favourite. I really appreciate it all as it means that there are people enjoying my writing! :) Also, a big 'thank you' to those of you who have taken time to leave a comment. They are wonderful to read. It means a lot to me to hear such interesting and supportive words of my work :) **

_Diola lle, i mellyn!_

**_/Aqua4444 _**


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